Vice-Chancellors Distinguished Teacher Awards 2013

The Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Teacher awards aim to raise the status of teaching and learning at Newcastle Universityby rewarding those individuals who make a marked impact on enhancing the student learning experience.

Key dates

Scheme opens / February 2013
Evidencing Achievement Seminar / 19, 21 and 27 March 12-2pm
Deadline for nominations / 18 March 2013
Deadline for submission of applications / 5 April 2013
Applicants notified of outcome / late May 2013
Presentation at congregations / July and/or December 2013

Categories and eligibility for award

The Award is open to all individual members of staff, at Newcastle, NUIS and NUMED, whose work enhances the student teaching and learning experience. In addition applications are welcome from staff of associated employers with direct and substantive involvement in the delivery of the student experience at Newcastle, for example, staff of INTO.

The awards fall into the following 3 categories:

Category 1: General award

  • Up to 3 awards for individual members of academic staff whose contribution to teaching and learning at Newcastle is exceptional

Category 2: Societal Challenge award

  • Up to 1 award is available for individual members of academic staff working within any Societal Challenge theme. The themes are ‘Aging’, ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Social Renewal’, the web page for the Societal ChallengeTheme can be found here

Category 3: Professional Support award

  • Up to 1 award is available for individual members of professional support staff whose contribution to learning, teaching and the student experience is exceptional.

Prizes

Each year up to 5 awards of £5,000 will be made available to support teaching and learning activities, including to buy equipment; to fund studies or travel; to buy in research support; and to buy out staff time (with the agreement of the Head of Academic Unit or Service).

The awards will be presented at a relevant summer (or winter) congregation. There will be a University celebrating success event providing the winners the opportunity to meet each other.

Criteria for the award

Award categories 1 and 2 will be judged against the following criteria:

  • demonstrating transformational leadership of learning and teaching
  • demonstrating high quality and effective commitment to pastoral care as well as teaching and learning support of students
  • demonstrating creative and effective approaches to learning, teaching and assessment that have improved the student learning experience
  • demonstrating effective innovation in curriculum design, content, and delivery
  • demonstrating excellence in supervision of postgraduate students
  • demonstrating high levels of student satisfaction through a portfolio of recentstudent evaluations
  • development of teaching opportunities for students to engage with Societal Challenge Themes [for Award 2]

Award category 3 will be judged against the following criteria

  • demonstrating high quality and effective support for student learning and the student experience
  • demonstrating a sustained approach to this support over time
  • demonstrating creative and effective approaches to supporting student learning
  • demonstrating a positive impact on colleagues and students
  • demonstrating leadership in the support of learning

Nomination for award

Staff and students are invited to nominate members of staff for the award. Nominations should take the form of a short summary of the excellent work undertaken by the nominee. Nominations should be sent to . All nominations received by the deadline will be anonymised and forwarded onto the nominee with an invitation for them to complete an application.

Application for an award

The submission should comprise a personal reflective statement of up to 1,000 words addressing the criteria and a separate dossier of supporting evidence with a maximum length of 10 sides of A4 to support the statement, which must include a citation from the Head of Academic Unit/Service. Staff considering applying for an award are strongly recommended to participate in one of the briefing workshops provided by QuILT, or make use of the online resources (link to resources) to assist them in completing their application. Links to video, sound and photographic evidence are also permitted.

Only submissions in the above format will be considered. All submissions should be submitted electronically to QuILT .

Selection Process

The selection process will be carried out by a small panel consisting of:

  • Pro-Vice Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)
  • A National Teaching Fellow
  • A previous recipient of the award
  • University Librarian
  • A student representative
  • A representative of QuILT

Sue Gill,
QuILT, March 2013

1